Pakistan, Uzbekistan hope to finalize framework agreement for 573-km railway line via Afghanistan
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday discussed the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) railway line project with his Uzbek counterpart Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich, the Pakistani foreign ministry said, adding the two figures expressed hope the project's framework agreement would be completed soon.
The $4.8 billion Uzbekistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan railway line is an extensive project with the objective of creating a direct railway link between Uzbekistan and Pakistan, passing through Afghanistan's territory.
It aims to enhance trade and logistics efficiency by establishing a 573-kilometer rail connection that would connect Termiz in Uzbekistan to the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar via Afghanistan's Mazar-i-Sharif.
The project is part of Pakistan's efforts to position itself as a key trade and transit hub, connecting landlocked Central Asian states to the global market through its strategic location.
'Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar today held a telephone conversation with the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Saidov Bakhtiyor Odilovich. The two leaders discussed existing bilateral relations, particularly Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Line Project,' the Pakistani foreign office said.
'They expressed the hope that framework agreement for the regional connectivity project will be finalized soon. Views were also exchanged on current regional situation.'
The three neighboring countries signed an agreement to build the regional connectivity project in February 2021. Dar also visited Afghanistan in April this year and discussed the project with the Afghan Taliban rulers in Kabul.
Pakistan is seeking to leverage its strategic position as a key trade and transit hub to connect Central Asia with global markets and since last year, there has been a flurry of high-level visits, investment discussions and other economic engagements between Islamabad and Central Asian republics.
Pakistan and Uzbekistan have also been working toward optimizing cargo flows, establishing green corridors at border customs points, and digitalization of customs clearance processes to facilitate smoother trade operations.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
17 minutes ago
- Arab News
Taliban hang up Kalashnikovs to pen memoirs of Afghan war
KABUL: Since trading the battlefield for Afghanistan's halls of power, some Taliban members have also swapped their weapons for pens to tell their version of the 20-year conflict with Western forces, who they accuse of distorting 'reality.' A flood of books has been written, mostly from a Western perspective, about the war between the US-led forces that invaded Afghanistan in the wake of the September 11 attacks until the Taliban's return to power in 2021. But in the years since, a proliferation of writings by Taliban figures — praising their exploits and the achievements of the 'Islamic Emirate' — is now the reigning narrative in Afghanistan. 'No matter what foreigners have written... they have largely ignored the reality of what happened to us and why we were forced to fight,' author Khalid Zadran told AFP. A member of the Haqqani network — long viewed as one of the most dangerous militant factions in Afghanistan — he now serves as the spokesman for the capital's police force. In his 600-page tome in Pashto published in April, he recounts US incursions in his home province of Khost, his childhood steeped in stories of soldiers' 'atrocities,' and his desire to join the Taliban in the name of his country's 'freedom.' 'I witnessed horrific stories every day — mangled bodies on the roadside,' he writes in '15 Minutes,' a title inspired by a US drone strike he narrowly escaped. Muhajer Farahi, now a deputy information and culture minister, penned his 'Memories of Jihad: 20 Years in Occupation' to 'state the facts,' he said. 'America, contrary to its claims, has committed cruel and barbaric acts, destroyed our country with bombs, destroyed infrastructure and has sown discord and cynicism between nations and tribes,' he told AFP from his office in central Kabul. Little attention is paid in either book to the thousands of civilians killed in Taliban attacks — many of them suicide bombings that entrenched fear across the country for nearly two decades. Farahi insists the Taliban 'were cautious in saving civilians and innocent' lives, while criticising fellow Afghans who collaborated with the pro-Western police as a 'stain' on the country. Rights groups accuse the current Taliban authorities of widespread abuses — particularly against women and girls, who the United Nations say are victims of what amounts to 'gender apartheid.' In his book published in 2023, Farahi claims the Taliban attempted to negotiate — in vain, he insists — with the United States over the fate of Osama bin Laden, whose capture or death Washington demanded after his plane hijackers killed around 3,000 people in the September 11, 2001 attacks. Bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, who had been based in Afghanistan, was killed by US forces in Pakistan in 2011. 'It was clear... that the Americans had already planned the occupation of Afghanistan,' writes Farahi in the English version of his book, which has been translated into five languages. In the wake of the September 11 attacks, Afghans thought it would 'have nothing to do with our country,' he continues, but soon realized that Afghanistan would face 'punishment.' For 20 years, the war pitted Taliban militants against a US-led coalition of 38 countries supporting the Afghan Republic and its forces. Tens of thousands of Afghans died in the fighting and in Taliban attacks, as did nearly 6,000 foreign soldiers, including 2,400 Americans. For Farahi, the war reflects the West's desire to 'impose its culture and ideology on other nations.' His disjointed journal mixes battlefield memories with polemical chapters railing against the American 'bloodthirsty dragon.' The book 'reveals the truths that were not told before because the media, especially the Western media, presented a different picture of the war,' he said. According to him, the mujahideen, or holy warriors, despite being far less equipped, were able to rely on their unity and God's aid to achieve victory. Only a few of the new wave of Taliban books have been autobiographies, which appeal to an audience seeking to understand the war 'from the inside,' according to Zadran. His book, initially 2,000 copies in Pashto, sold out quickly and another 1,000 are in the works — along with a Dari-language version, he said. Many chapters mention Bowe Bergdahl, the US soldier held hostage for five years by the Haqqani network. He recounts treks through the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to move him between hideouts, efforts to convert him to Islam and conversations about his girlfriend back in the US. Both accounts end in 2021, before the transformation of the fighters who moved from remote mountain hideouts to the carpeted offices of the capital. There, their battle has turned diplomatic: the Taliban are now fighting for international recognition of their government. 'The war is over now,' Farahi said, 'and we want good relations with everyone' — even with the 'bloodthirsty dragon.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
an hour ago
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Five Nations and EU Urge Trump Not to Impose New Airplane Tariffs
Five nations and the European Union, as well as airlines and aerospace firms worldwide, urged the Trump administration not to impose new national security tariffs on imported commercial planes and parts, documents released on Tuesday showed. Airlines and planemakers have been lobbying President Donald Trump to restore the tariff-free regime under the 1979 Civil Aircraft Agreement that has yielded an annual trade surplus of $75 billion for the US industry. The documents made public by the US Commerce Department bared concerns over the fallout of possible new tariffs expressed by companies as well as nations such as Canada, China, Japan, Mexico and Switzerland, besides the European Union. "As reliable trading partners, the European Union and United States should strengthen their trade regarding aircraft and aircraft parts, rather than hinder it by imposing trade restrictions," the EU wrote. It would consider its options "to ensure a level playing field," it added. Trump has already imposed tariffs of 10% on nearly all airplane and parts imports. "No country or region should attempt to support the development of its domestic aircraft manufacturing industry by suppressing foreign competitors," the Chinese government wrote. Separately, US planemaker Boeing cited a recent trade deal unveiled in May with Britain that ensures tariff-free treatment for airplanes and parts. "The United States should ensure duty-free treatment for commercial aircraft and their parts in any negotiated trade agreement, similar to its efforts with the United Kingdom," Boeing told the Commerce Department in a filing. Mexico said in 2024 it exported $1.45 billion in aircraft parts, just a tenth of the total, to the United States. The EU said it took US exports of aircraft worth roughly $12 billion, while exporting about $8 billion of aircraft to the US. In early May, the Commerce Department launched a "Section 232" national security investigation into imports of commercial aircraft, jet engines and parts that could form the basis for even higher tariffs on such imports. Last week, Delta Air Lines and major trade groups warned of tariffs' impact on ticket prices, aviation safety and supply chains. "Current US tariffs on aviation are putting domestic production of commercial aircraft at risk," Airbus Americas CEO Robin Hayes said in a filing. "It is not realistic or sensible today to create a 100% domestic supply chain in any country." Boeing said it had been increasing US content in its airplanes over the last decade and its newest airplanes, the 737 MAX 10 and 777X, would have "more than 88% domestically-sourced content." The United Auto Workers union, which represents 10,000 aerospace workers, said it supports tariffs and domestic production quotas, adding that US aerospace employment has fallen to 510,000 in 2024 from 850,000 in 1990. "To safeguard the entire aerospace supply chain across the commercial and defense sectors, comprehensive tariffs and production quotas on several products are needed," it said. JetBlue Airways opposed new tariffs, however, saying, "Trade policy should reinforce, not destabilize, the proven systems that keep our aircraft flying safely and affordably."
Arab News
2 hours ago
- Arab News
US confirms Trump's willingness to mediate Kashmir dispute after India-Pakistan ceasefire
ISLAMABAD: The United States on Tuesday said President Donald Trump would like to mediate between India and Pakistan over the decades-old Kashmir dispute, describing such a move as consistent with his desire to resolve 'generational' conflicts around the world. The comment follows a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, announced by the US president on May 10 after a brief but intense military standoff involving fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery fire. While tensions have eased, longstanding issues remain unresolved. The US informed last month after the ceasefire announcement both India and Pakistan had agreed to meet at a neutral venue to address their differences, though New Delhi has so far publicly ruled out bilateral talks with Islamabad. 'I can't speak to what's on the mind or the plans of the President,' said State Department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce in response to a question about the American president's offer to mediate after the ceasefire. 'What I do know is that I think we all recognize that President Trump in each step that he takes, it's made to solve generational differences between countries, generational war,' she continued. 'So it doesn't – it shouldn't surprise anyone that he'd want to manage something like that.' Bruce maintained Trump had the ability to bring enemies 'to the table to have conversations that nobody thought was possible.' She added that she hoped 'something like that' could be resolved during the current American administration's term in office, referring to the Kashmir dispute. In a related development, the State Department spokesperson confirmed a Pakistani parliamentary delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari met last week with senior State Department officials, including Under Secretary for Political Affairs Allison Hooker. While she did not reveal details of the discussions, Bruce said the talks covered counterterrorism cooperation and US support for the India-Pakistan ceasefire. The Pakistani delegation is currently visiting key global capitals to present Islamabad's perspective on the limited war with India while lobbying the international community to press India to return to dialogue over Kashmir and other issues.
